John O’Brien ERA Chairman of the Board
I’ve been fortunate enough over the past 10 years to work side by side with Walter Tobin on the ERA Executive Committee. Since joining ERA, Walter’s passion and focus have been the driving force behind the resurgence of this association. We all owe Walter a debt of gratitude. In 10 years, ERA has gained relevance in the industry, with our cornerstone event being the national Conference.
Membership is up in all categories and our finances are strong.
Prior to his time at ERA, I was also fortunate to spend the first 20 years of my career working with Walter at Future Electronics. Coming from my perspective as a rep, Walter has always supported manufacturers’ reps. Walter was integral in setting up the first rep council at Future and has since dedicated a lot of time to assisting other distributors in setting up rep councils. His passion goes way beyond his work.
His passion for his family is legendary. Janice, his daughters and all of their many grandkids are his guiding light. We love hearing about his yearly pilgrimages to Aruba, and spending summers at the “Summer White House” in Cape Cod where they all convene and spend time together as a family.
On a personal note, I am honored to call Walter a friend. He’s helped me personally develop in my career by providing perspectives I may not have considered. I’ve traveled quite a bit with Walter. My proudest day was the day we were getting on a plane and he had his boarding pass on his phone, not printed. He still checked his phone 11 times on the gangway to make sure his seat hadn’t changed. My wife and I had the pleasure of attending the Boston Pops Christmas Concert with Walter and Janice. It was an amazing night filled with music, cocktails and the pleasure of seeing firsthand the love and admiration between Walter and Janice.
Thank you for everything, Walter!
> Celebrating a legacy of success
John O’Brien ERA Chairman of the Board
I’ve been fortunate enough over the past 10 years to work side by side with Walter Tobin on the ERA Executive Committee. Since joining ERA, Walter’s passion and focus have been the driving force behind the resurgence of this association. We all owe Walter a debt of gratitude. In 10 years, ERA has gained relevance in the industry, with our cornerstone event being the national Conference.
Membership is up in all categories and our finances are strong.
Prior to his time at ERA, I was also fortunate to spend the first 20 years of my career working with Walter at Future Electronics. Coming from my perspective as a rep, Walter has always supported manufacturers’ reps. Walter was integral in setting up the first rep council at Future and has since dedicated a lot of time to assisting other distributors in setting up rep councils. His passion goes way beyond his work.
His passion for his family is legendary. Janice, his daughters and all of their many grandkids are his guiding light. We love hearing about his yearly pilgrimages to Aruba, and spending summers at the “Summer White House” in Cape Cod where they all convene and spend time together as a family.
On a personal note, I am honored to call Walter a friend. He’s helped me personally develop in my career by providing perspectives I may not have considered. I’ve traveled quite a bit with Walter. My proudest day was the day we were getting on a plane and he had his boarding pass on his phone, not printed. He still checked his phone 11 times on the gangway to make sure his seat hadn’t changed. My wife and I had the pleasure of attending the Boston Pops Christmas Concert with Walter and Janice. It was an amazing night filled with music, cocktails and the pleasure of seeing firsthand the love and admiration between Walter and Janice.
Thank you for everything, Walter!